An
event marked by Doukhobors everywhere has been the
annual tradition of Peter's Day. The first Peter's Day was
in 1895 when Doukhobors in three separate areas of the Caucasus
secretly met on June 29th and burned all of their weapons
as a determined statement of pacifism, these guns would not
kill another human being.
This event was orchestrated
by Peter Verigin, and coincided with Peter's Saint's Day;
June 29, the Name Day for the martyred saints, Peter and Paul.
Since then, this day has been known as Peter's Day.
Reaction by the authorities
was swift and severe and the well meaning Doukhobors were
whipped, imprisoned and exiled. About 10% had perished before
Lev Tolstoy and his associates had created enough world wide
attention to make Czar Nicholas II allow them to leave, and
resulted in their emigration to Canada. |